Machine for thermoplastically treating materials



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337 H. SIDEBOTHAM MACHINE FOR 'I'HERMOPLASTICALLY TREATING MATERIALS Filed Aug. 25. 1945 Patented Nev. z, 1948 s rEs PATENT OFFICE 2,452,959 MACHINE FOR THERMOPLASTICALLY TREATING MATERIALS Melvin H. Sidebotham, Newton, Mass. Application August as, 1945, Serial No. 612,170

3 Claims.

With said objects in view, and others hereinafter explained, my invention consists in the method and machine, substantially as herein described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation ofthe essential elements of a machine for method.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a section of paper showing areas which have been treated with V powdered thermoplastic material.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the hopper screen shown in Figures 1 and 2 drawn to alarger scale.

Figure 5 is an elevation of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of plate l showing cut out portion.

Figure 7 is an edge view of Figure 6.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts or features in all of the views.

It will aid toward an understanding of the machine and of the method of treating surfaces of sheet material with powdered thermoplastic. to first describe the action 01 the machine.

The material to be treated is' preferably supplied in rolled up condition, and mounted on one end of the machine. The material may be made of paper, cloth or other substance in sheet or web form. The material is drawn from the roll and advanced ino position to receive a film of powdered thermoplastic material on the areas to be treated. The web or sheet of material with the powdered thermoplastic positioned thereon is subjected to heat in order to melt the powdered material suiiiciently to cause it to become fixed to the surface carrying out my improved has been treated. However, in practice it may be desirable to perform other operations, such as fabricating the web to provide individual articles, by adding other mechanism to those herein described, instead of rolling up the web after treatment.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the several parts I or units of the machine are mounted on a frame I, provided with suitable bearings and support members for operatively holding the elements comprising the machine.

Bearings 2 serve to support the roll of web mate:

rial A from which the web B is drawn by feed rollers '3 journaled in frame i. From the feed rolls 3 the web B is advanced to position on plate 4 supported by frame I. The web B pauses intermittently in passing over plate 4. At each pause of the web a layer of powdered thermoplastic material is deposited upon a section of the web positioned on plate 6.

A supply of the powdered thermoplastic material is contained in a hopper 5 secured to hopper arm 6 pivotally mounted on pin 7 in frame I. The bottom opening of the hopper is designed to conform with the patternof the area desired to be thermoplastically treated. For purposes of illustration theweb B shown in Figure 3 shows U- shaped patterns C. Thus, the supply hopper 5 has a U-shaped bottom opening 8.

Underlying the bottom opening 8' of the hopper 5 is a fine meshed screen 9 retained in screen frame M which is secured to the bottom of the hopper 5. made with below the screen 9 so that when the screen frame is in contact with the web B the screen will not touch the web. The screen 9 is of a mesh su'fiiciently vfine to retain the powdered thermoplastic of the web. The web next passes over a cold plate in order to drive off the heat in the web and to aid in setting and securing the thermoplastic to the web. The treated web is then rolled up until it is to be used. 1

For purposes of illustration the machine described provides for rolling up the web after it within the hopper but which will allow the pewdered thermoplastic to sift through the screen when the hopper is jarred or struck.

In the'operation of the machine, when the web B is stopped, the hopper 5 is caused to quickly engage the web 3, with the result that the screen frame 10 strikes the web causing the powdered thermoplastic in the hopper to sift through the screen 9, leaving a film of powdered thermoplastic material on the web in a pattern conforming to the shape of the bottom opening of the hopper. The hopper is operated by means hereinafter explained to strike the web and then rise from engagement with the web at timed intervals.

After the powdered thermoplastic material has been applied to the web B, and before the web is moved or disturbed, heat is applied to cause the Thescreen frame I0 is preferably a projection H which extends slightly powder'edithermoplastic to melt sufllciently to become securely adhered to the web.

In the embodiment herein described-and illustrated heat is applied to the web by an electric heater I2 secured to heater arm l3 pivotally mounted on pin i4 secured inframe I. The heater i2 is operated at intervals to approach the bottom "of web B after the film of powdered thermoplastic has been applied on the top surface of the web. The electric heater is operated to approach and recede from the bottom of the web B by the action of cam l5 secured to shaft l6 iournaled in frame I. The rotation of cam l5 engages the bottom of heater arm l3 to raise the armcausing the electric heater to operatively engage the under surface of the web to melt the powdered thermoplastic thereon.

The plate 4 is provided with a .U-shaped .cut ll as illustrated in Figures 6 and '7, in order that the heat from the electric heater 12 may readily contact the under side of the web B.

A connecting link i8 has one of its ends operatively secured to pin IS on the heater arm i3 and its opposite end pivotally mounted on pin secured tohopper arm 6. It will be obvious that each rotation of cam l5 will cause the hopper 5 to engage the web B and then cause the hopper to rise from engagement with the web while simultaneousLv raising the-heater ii to heat the bottom surface of the web;

After the powdered thermoplastic has been secured to the web B by the application of heat, the web is advanced to pass over a cooling plate It secured to frame I. The web B is drawn from the cooling plate 21 by rollers 22 ,iournaled on shafts'23 secured in frame i.

The treated web is finally rolled up as shown at D Figures 1 and 2, and the rolled up web stored until required for use.

A practical example of the product made by means of my invention is illustratedby Figure 3 which shows a section-of web having, thermoplastically treated areas C.

In practice the web B may be folded double along 'itsjglongitudinal dimension, to cause the thermoplastically treated areas C to overlie untreated areas of the web. Then upon the application of heat and pressure, the thermoplastically treated areas will become adheslvely secured to the contacting surfaces of the web, to provide a series of closed pockets.

It will be readily understood, withut need of illustration, that any suitable motor may be employed for operating the machine; and that suitable gearing, mountings and other mechanisms are employed in practice tocause the various devices to operate at the proper speed, to effect intermittent travel of the web through the machine, and to cause the several units of the machine to operate inthe manner described.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred'construction and the preferred method for carrying out my invention, these are capable of 4 variation and modification without departin from the spirit of the invention.

The invention may obviously be used for treating sheet material as well as web material. 4

Having now'described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for treating surface areas of web material with powdered thermoplastic substance, comprising, rollers for advancing the web material, a hopper for holding a supply of powdered thermoplastic substance and having its bottom portion formed to provide an opening of the pattern of the area of the web desired to be treated, a fine meshed screen positioned over the bottom opening of the hopper, means for causing the hopper to shake a film of powdered thermoplastic material upon the web, a heating device for applying heat to the web, a cam for moving the hopper and the heating device into and out of engagement with the web, and a cooling plate adjacent to the advancing web for driving off the heat from the web.

2. In a machine for treating surface areas of 1 web material with powdered thermoplastic substance, comprising, means for advancing the web material, a hopper for holding a supply of powdered thermoplastic substance and having its bottom portion formed to provide an opening of-f the pattern of the area of the web desired to be treated, a. fine meshed screen positioned over the bottom opening of the hopper, means for causing the hopper to shake a film of powdered thermoplastic material upon the web, a heating device for applying heat to the web, means for moving v the hopper and the heating device into and out of engagement with the web, and a cooling plate adjacent to the advancing web for driving off the heat from the web.

3. In a machine for treating surface areas of web material with powdered thermoplastic substance, comprising a hopper for holding a' supply of powdered thermoplastic substance and having its bottom portion formed to provide an opening of the pattern of the area of the web desired to a be treated, a fine meshed screen positioned over the bottom opening of the hopper, means for causing the hopper to shake a film of powdered thermoplastic material upon the'web, a heating device for applying heat to the web, and a cam for moving the hopper and the heating device into and out of engagement with the web.

MELVIN H. SIDEBO'IHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

